Absolutism, The decline of the English Monarchy, & Intro to Enlightenment

Divine Right of Kings• In Europe during the Middle

Ages (500-1499) and toward the beginning of the early modern period (1500-1900) countries such as England, France, and Spain were ruled by absolute monarchs.

• According to the divine right of kings, the power of these monarchs came directly from god. Thus, they were not accountable to any human, and their word was considered divine. This view was endorsed by the Catholic Church

• Known as divine right monarchy, absolute monarchy.

Feudalism

• In the feudal system, the King gave land to nobles in return for money and soldiers

• Thus, the king was dependent upon the nobles to finance wars and to provide taxes

English Parliament

• In England, a Parliament (legislative body) of nobles developed over the 14th and 15th centuries, and the power of the King in England slowly weakened to where many felt that the King needed the assent of the nobles to rule.

• However, Parliament was still subservient to the monarchy and there could often be periods of several years where the Parliament did not sit at all

The Tudor Dynasty• Royal family that ruled England

from 1485 to 1603• Henry VIII, the second Monarch

in the Tudor dynasty reigned from 1509 to 1547– Married Catherine of Aragon

who gave him several daughters. Catherine became too old to procreate and Henry wanted the Pope to annul the marriage so he could remarry and have sons

– Pope refused and Henry VIII and Parliament created the Anglican Church (Church of England) in which he was the Supreme head.

Henry VIII (continued)

• The abolition of the Catholic Church in England, along with the spread of the reformation, created a religious divide in England between Protestants and Catholics

• This conflict is symbolized by Sir Thomas More, one of the leading intellectuals in England, a devout Catholic but a loyal subject of King Henry VIII’s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpMnzx6zXYY

Tudor Dynasty (cont)

• The creation of the Anglican Church led to a divide in England between Protestants and Catholics.

• Mary I, the 4th monarch in the Tudor dynasty restored Roman Catholicism as the main religion in England. She is infamously referred to as “Bloody Mary” for her violent persecution of Protestants

Warmup

Pick up one of each document on the back counterIn your notebook, answer the following questions:How did the conflict between Protestants and Catholics in England develop?What is an absolute monarchy? Give examples of absolute monarchs.

Elizabeth I

• Unlike Mary, Elizabeth was a religious moderate. Heresy laws were repealed and while Protestantism was made the official state religion again, it included many Catholic elements. Unlike Mary, she was a very popular Queen.

Tudor Dynasty 1528-1603Henry VIIHenry VIIIEdward VIMary IElizabeth I

The Tudors recognized Parliament and worked with Parliament in order to implement policy.

Charles I• In contrast the Tudors, Charles I firmly

believed in the divine right of kings, and modeled himself of Louis XIV who famously decreed “I am the state.”

• Dismissed Parliament for 11 years and levied taxes without their consent.

• When Parliament returned, they continually disrupted Charles plans and this ultimately led to a civil war between Parliament and Charles

• Parliament’s armies won, but Charles refused to accept their demands in negotiations. Ultimately Charles was executed 1649 and the English monarchy was overthrown

The Glorious Revolution• Parliament sought to

overthrow James II due to his Catholicism and invited William of Orange, a Dutch prince, to invade England and depose of James.

• In 1689, William and his wife Mary were appointed as Joint Sovereigns, and the Bill of Rights of 1689 was passed. The Bill of Rights of 1689 is the legacy of the Glorious Revolution, as it redefined the relationship between the people and the Monarch.

The Bill of Rights of 1689• No royal interference with the

law. Though the sovereign remains, he or she cannot unilaterally establish new courts or act as a judge. The King is no longer above the law.

• The monarchy may not levy new taxes without the permission of parliament

• Citizens may petition the King without fear of retribution

• No standing army may be maintained during a time of peace without the consent of parliament.

English Bill of Rights (cont)• No royal interference in the election

of members of parliament• The freedom of speech and debates

or proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Parliament

• Citizens must be convicted under the law before having to pay fines or forfeit property

• No excessive bail or "cruel and unusual" punishments may be imposed

Introduction to Historical Thinking

• This four step technique will help guide you in analyzing primary documents this semester.– Sourcing– Contextualizing– Close Reading– Corroboration

Step 1: Sourcing

Analyze the historical document for the following information:• Who wrote the document?• When was the document written?• Where was the document written?• Who is the intended audience?

Step 2: Contextualizing

• What was going on during this time period in which the author was writing about? (Events, ideas, etc.)

• What would it have been like to be alive during this time period? Consider this question from different points of view of the people who lived at that time.

Close Reading

• What claims does the author make?• What evidence does the author use to support

his claims?• What words or phrases does the author use to

convince me that he or she is right?• What information does the author leave out?

Tips for Reading Effectively• Step 1– Read for understanding/interest/enjoyment.– Circle passages and words you don’t understand and

immediately re-read anything that you don’t understand• Step 2– Establish a purpose

• Why am I reading this passage? In this case, I just want to understand what the author is writing about and how it connects to the Enlightenment

• Step 3– Read with purpose and annotate– I want to underline and make notes about words and phrases

that relate to my purpose above.

Step 4: Corroboration

• What do other pieces of evidence say? • Am I finding different versions of the story? Why or why not? • What pieces of evidence are most believable?Note: We will not work on step 4 until we start analyzing multiple documents